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Make Them Fall For You: The Secret to Creating a Good First Impression

Giving a perfect first impression is arguably the most important aspect of business. Either with business partners, clients, or customers, establishing this connection is essential to close business deals, resolve issues, and ultimately, boost profit.

Smile

We know that this advice seems so simple but hear us out. Take a page from Gabbyville’s live virtual receptionists and smile! Smiling instantly brightens every conversation and projects a positive aura that makes connecting to your client easier. While you’re at it, make sure that your smile looks genuine and not like a hyena about to devour its prey.

(This is what we mean)

Look the Part

We hate to break it to you, but when it comes to first impressions, looks does matter. We don’t mean that you have to look like some super model but at least dress for the part. When meeting potential clients and/or partners, it’s best that you dress appropriately. Not a fashion guru? No problem. Go for “safe” clothing like a simple long-sleeved shirt and slacks for the gents and a knee-length dress coupled with a cardigan for the ladies.

Break The Ice

Before you go into your awesome and well-prepared sales pitch, consider establishing some familiarity. Maybe crack a little joke or interject some humor while discussing business. If possible, ask how their day is or even compliment their looks. But don’t overdo it! We don’t want them to think that you’re some sleazy sales-guy that’s being too overfamiliar.

Show Your Brilliance

It’s time for them to discover on the first meeting why you or what you’re offering is the best. When presenting, establish that you know your subject that you are basically a walking encyclopedia!

Also, it’s great to show them that apart from your business, you also know a thing or two about them. What this shows is that you did your research and know what you’re talking about.

They say that you only have one shot to create a good impression so don’t miss your chance when it comes. With these tips in mind, you’ll be receiving tons of business calls in no time. Don’t worry about that though, our live answering service is here to get you covered.

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Manage Your Schedule and Be a Super Entrepreneur!

Being an entrepreneur is like being a superhero since it’s hard to have at least a semblance of work and life balance. You try so hard yet for some reason, 24 hours seem not enough.

Why can’t just work and social life get along? Enough of the chatter and pick up a platter because were about to know the reason and solve this old dilemma.

  • Plan Ahead

In many ways, this has become quite a cliché, but you can’t deny that it’s actually the soundest advice you will get. By planning on how you go about your day, you can budget your time and will have a good estimate on how your day will pan out.

  • Prepare for Unforeseen Events

Let’s be real here for a second. Even if you planned ahead and prepared for every single task, there will always be events that you wouldn’t see coming. For instance, you might encounter a road mishap or a long traffic jam on your way to work.

Remedy things like this by allotting some extra time. If your usual travel is 1 hour, schedule things for 1 hour and 30 minutes, this way you still have some spare minutes.

  • Hire an assistant

If you can afford it, hire an assistant to help you get through the day. An assistant can help you schedule and plan things ahead of time. They can even hold clients for you until you arrive. But if it’s too out of budget, consider a live virtual assistant. She can provide all the benefits of an actual person but the difference is she goes to a different office!

  • Wake Up Early

Your parents were right. Waking up early is the best way to own the day. We know it’s so tempting to sleep for just a couple of minutes more but, by waking up earlier than usual, you will have more time to prepare and will have more extra time in case unexpected inconveniences happen.

We all know that there will be days when you can’t do it all. There will be times at the office when you will just get swamped with work but by applying these practical tips, we’re certain that you’ll have a better balance of work and life.

 

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A Look at the Top Three Toxic Employees

In our personal lives, toxic individuals are exhausting to be around with since they create some sort of negative vibe that can harm your overall well-being and increase your stress levels. Well, we’ve got news for you: this is also true when it comes to the business setting because entrepreneurs need to be laser-focused and free from any form of negative distraction. Thus, if you’re an entrepreneur, especially someone who’s just starting-up, it would be best to avoid toxic individuals no matter what happens.

Obviously, this is essential if you want your money-making venture to go places. Bear in mind also, that there is a short cut to this (getting rid of toxic employees) and it’s a lot easier than you think. Say what? You’re probably asking yourself.
Well, it’s an innovative and straightforward move in the mold of hiring live virtual receptionists. Anyway, let’s talk about this later; without further ado, below are the toxic employees that you should drive out the office.

Arrogant guys

Some confuse confidence with arrogance, but it should be noted that the two are very different from each other. For one, confident people inspire others, while arrogant ones are the exact opposite: they intimidate and annoy. Also, the former creates a comfortable environment that is conducive to working and learning, and the latter exudes a sense of displeasure and inconvenience. As you can see the office is no place for arrogant guys.

Control freaks
Control freaks don’t know how to listen because they have the “I-know-it-all” mentality that can wreak havoc in the work place. With these individuals, the business environment can be a nightmare because they don’t listen to suggestions and follow instructions, a lot of times. Having control freaks in the work place is like having too many cooks in the kitchen. Get the point?

The victims
Say what? Yep. You heard it right, the victims, but it’s not like what you think. To be clear, victims are employees to constantly blame others for their own wrongdoings, mistakes, and lapses, among others. They are arguably the most toxic employees to be around with. Aside from the abovementioned negativities, they encourage a blame game that leads to a drop in productivity.

Summing up
There you have it: the top three employees that you should get rid of if you’re a start-up business owner who wants to boost productivity, increase profit, and attract new clients.
But the good news is: you can always turn to live virtual receptionists that can take detailed messages, manage live phone answering tasks, forward calls, remind upcoming appointments, and so much more! With these professionals, your company will definitely go places—fast!

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The Gift of Gab: What Makes It Click in a Legal Office

We all know that we at Gabbyville have the gift of gab. But do you know that this gift is a little something that law office pips will find handy?

Yep. You read it right. Our virtual receptionist services are not just beneficial to companies that are in the field of real estate, dealership, information technology, etc. they are also applicable to businesses that handle legal matters.

Want to know how Gabbyville personnel AKA “Gabbonistas” can help your law office fully utilize its success potential at half the time and budget? Check out the write ups below.

Peace of mind and freedom

Peace of mind is a little something that business owners like you yearn for and the good news is: this can be easily achieved with a little help from our “Gabbonistas.” How? By obtaining detailed services that are specifically tailored for your needs.

Maybe you need a highly-organized and friendly live virtual receptionist to take care of appointment scheduling, live call forwarding, multi-conferencing, etc. Regardless of your needs, our experts can manage them with utmost professionalism.

Impress your customers

Since our “Gabbonistas” will be on standby to manage calls and inquiries, your clients will be impressed by your solid customer service. Remember, they have the skills as well as the knowledge to answer calls with the use of your own business greeting.

In addition, they will religiously study the nature of your business to make sure that transactions and inquiries will be addressed in such a way that you want them to be.

Reduce costs

Did we mention reduced costs? If your law office receives high volume calls on a regular basis, then going virtual is the way to go because of its cost-efficiency.

Don’t believe the hype? Then try factoring in the recruitment costs, employee benefits, and training expenses, among other things. Afterwards, you can confirm that the Gabbyville option is much better.

Conclusion

All in all, you can say that signing up for the wide array of services that Gabbyville offers is the best thing that you can do if you want what’s best for your law office. It’
s effective, cost efficient, and hassle-free.
So what are you waiting for? Sign up now and take your law office to great heights!

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How The Virtual Receptionist Industry Can Change Today’s Business Landscape

There is no argument that your customer service department is your first line of communication between your customers and your company. This makes a receptionist an important aspect of your business.

On the other hand, if you can’t afford such service, then you came to the right place since you’ll find a virtual receptionist handy. Without further ado, let’s take a closer look at how a virtual receptionist can change today’s business landscape.

Calls:

The first benefit that a virtual receptionist has to offer is that all calls which are made to your business in order to gain information are answered immediately at all times. This is an advantage that not even full-time receptionists are able to provide.

Customer Service:

With the virtual option, the quality of the customer service (which is an integral part of your business success) can be enhanced in no time. Also, this ensures that your potential customers don’t have to go through any inconvenience that makes them look for better alternatives.

Time Management:

Having a virtual receptionist also ensures that you can manage your time in an appropriate fashion and put all of your efforts in the right direction. Remember that in order to enhance the productivity of your business, you need to make sure that your customer service department is being taken care of in an appropriate fashion by a virtual receptionist.

Professionalism:

There is no argument over the fact that having the said expert helps maintain the professional image of your business. Take note that such investment is a must if you’re serious with your business because it clearly depicts that you consider your customers valuable company assets.

Affordable:

Such service can cost a bit of money to put up, but take note that it is a worthwhile investment that is worth every penny. Weighing it against full-time receptionists, who need to be paid every month, will help you realize that the latter is more cost effective.

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6 Steps to Start Your Small Business Like a Boss

So you’ve watched all the movies, read an entire magazine and even bought a brand-new suit. But still, you scratch your head and ask this question: “How do I start my small business?”

You want to be an entrepreneur. You have the desire, the resources and the tools, but you don’t know where to start. Don’t worry because WE GOT YOU on this. It’s time for you to know how to start your own small business.

Step 1: Know If It’s Plausible

Before you start your business, is your idea even realistic? Is there even a hint of success in your plans? Does your product or service have a specific market and will your potential clients buy what you will sell? More importantly, does your product and/or service even work?

Step 2: Hire a virtual receptionist

Since in-house receptionists are not exactly cheap, a business answering service is a great or even better alternative. Going for the second option is way better because it can help keep the flow of business smooth and efficient and save some cash along the way.

Step 3: Know Your Brand

Considering that you already know what you want to sell or what service you are offering, the next thing that you have to do is know your brand. And when we say that, we mean that you have to determine your business image. Kind of like, how a certain product markets itself. Are you going for the professional, no-frills image? Or do you want a more laid-back and fun type of brand?

Step 4: Plan and Dominate

Now that we’ve settled on those concepts, it’s time for you to plan your market domination! In your plans, make sure to include your target profit, the cost of running your business, and approach that you’ll utilize to market your products and/or services. They say brilliant people calculate their move and they couldn’t have been more correct.

Step 5: Ready a Back-up Plan

Building a back-up plan is also a great idea. Let’s face it, starting your own business is risky and it pays to have contingency plan—big time! Having one doesn’t mean that you are anticipating failure; it just simply means that you are aware of certain circumstances and you are doing something about it.

Step 6: Stand Out

Last but not least, you have to make your business stand out from the others. We already know that you offer quality products and/or services, but you got to make sure that you are in a unique position. Establish why you are better than others and why you are going to dominate this industry. You go champ!

All of these tips are useless if you don’t apply it in practice. So for our last advice, chase your dream and be the next Donald Trump! (Minus the coif and the bankruptcy, of course)


Photo credit goes to: hollywoodreporter.com

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  • Business Tips

Beating Business Burnout with Virtual Receptionist Services

In the corporate world, taking on more responsibilities such as accepting a mid-level or management position has its own upsides and downsides. Sure, there might be a slightly higher pay check, and you might get a title, but certainly your hours are going to increase, and your stress is going to double…at least!

Due to the said drawbacks, some get to the point where they simply want to survive the workload and go on with their day. Because of the need, many turn to virtual receptionists for call answering and other similar services. By doing so, they become stress-free because they don’t have to do all the work-related tasks themselves.

In addition, they easily boost revenue and even cut the time as well as the effort that it takes for certain jobs to be accomplished. As straightforward as it may seem such advantages can go a very long way in the corporate world.

For managers and business owners, the said services are quite useful as they can easily beat business burnout since they give the luxury of delegating tasks, balancing work and personal matters, and prioritizing important duties, among others. Such features are essential because saving your focus and energy for client visits and high-level tasks is important if you are in a manager or owner position.

Because of the abovementioned advantages, many small business owners are employing virtual receptionists to aid in operations since they are affordable compared to full-time assistants. This is essential because the ability to be efficient and stress-free is a powerful tool in today’s fast-paced and competitive business sector. In fact, for some, it has become indispensable.

Conclusion

If not addressed, business burnout can lead to chronic stress and decreased productivity, which in the long run can lead to monetary losses. The good news is: with technological advancements like live receptionist services, you can easily prevent this from developing. With this, you can easily make business burnout a thing of the past. So, if you’re a business owner with a no-nonsense personality, signing up or the said service is the way to go.

 

  • Receptionist Tips

Is Your Receptionist Luring Away Your Customers?

Tasked with welcoming your clients and building your company’s image, a receptionist’s job is never easy because of the complexities that are involved in his/her job. As an owner, you need to make sure that you hire someone who possesses the essential traits to perform certain duties with utmost professionalism. Therefore, you need to ask yourself if he/she will lure in potential clients or do the exact opposite.

For reference with regards to the said matter, you can check the Internet since it is full of receptionist horror stories. By going online, you can find countless stories where a customer was turned-off because a receptionist mishandled his/her call. The good news is: these situations are avoidable.

Avoiding such predicament is essential because one employee can make all the difference when signing up a big client or otherwise. Therefore, it would be best to hire a professional who is attentive, patient, and competent because these traits can help you build a great first impression that can increase your chances of landing that “jackpot” client.

Failure to address the above-mentioned prerequisites can wreak havoc to your company because the wrong receptionist can hurt business branding and image. In fact, your company may experience a long and slow demise or a short and fast downfall due to the hiring of unfriendly and incompetent staff.

So, always make sure that your receptionist is well-informed and up to date when it comes to the developments in your company since nothing is more upsetting to a customer than an employee who does not know anything about the business entity he/she works for. Simply put, an employee who cannot even answer a query or work on a request is a major turn-off.

If you want your business to build a favorable and lasting impression, train your receptionist in customer handling because some tend to be apathetic when interacting with clients and potential partners.

In case the mentioned precautionary measures don’t work, consider hiring a virtual receptionist instead of an in-house one. Such move is ideal because you can be sure that you’ll employ a professional who is always ready to take calls and maintain high standards along the way.

A live virtual receptionist who is an expert in voice answering services is a worthwhile choice because you can rest assured that your calls are handled with utmost expertise at any time of the day. In time, this can help your company develop a first impression that lasts.

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Making Your Job Easier

unnamedIn today’s business world where productivity and cost efficiency separate extraordinary companies from mundane ones, turning to reputable companies that specialize in live answering is a straightforward move that comes with a ton of gains.

Furthermore, aside from helping save a substantial amount of cash (professionals who perform the said tasks are freelance and contract workers), such move can actually make your job as a business owner easier. This is most true if you own a startup entity that has limited funding.

Manage calls

Live phone answering and call forwarding/screening play crucial roles in customer service and they are especially effective for start-up and middle-sized companies that are not regularly staffed.

These features can effectively and efficiently prevent you from missing out on important calls even if you are on the go. Simply put, live phone answering and call forwarding/screening can give you the convenience and practicality of handling business-related calls without ever losing mobility.

Prioritize important business matters

Virtual receptionists are not only well-versed in performing remote answering service and other similar tasks, they are also trained to prioritize matters that are important to business growth. By focusing on the said issues, you can create a sense of calmness and at the same time reduce stress in the workplace.

Save time

Time is gold in the business sector and because of this, it is important to make sure that deadlines are always met. This is where the help of virtual receptionists come in handy. With limited time to keep up with industry developments, it would be best to turn to trained personnel who will be on the lookout on industry happenings and make detailed reports about them.

Conclusion

Going virtual is a must if you want to become a step ahead of competition and perform well in your chosen industry. This is a must in the 21st century where competition is tough and having an x-factor separates the successful from the struggling.

  • Receptionist Tips

Common Misconceptions Regarding Virtual Receptionists

Many business owners are reluctant when it comes to hiring a professional receptionist because it takes expert skills to handle calls and customer service tasks on a regular basis. Such aspect makes the whole thing complicated because this post is a permanent one, which means that interested parties need to pay a premium to address the need. Sad to say, though, some of them are unwilling to pay up.

A number of companies counter this issue by employing a straightforward strategy: hire virtual receptionists. These experts can play significant roles when it comes to improving customer service, saving time, and lessening effort, among other office essentials.

On the other hand, many are apprehensive to invest in this corporate breakthrough because of the misconceptions that surround it. Some of the most common ones are elaborated below.

  1. Businesses need to use them on a permanent basis

One of the most common misconceptions is the said receptionists are hired to serve permanently. This is unnecessary and they can be hired on a temporary basis and then pay the service provider according to hours that were rendered. There are different packages out there that come with specific timetables and it would be best to thoroughly review each one before signing up.

  1. Problem with multi-tasking

Many business owners are reluctant to turn to live virtual receptionists because they feel that important tasks will take time due to the fact that the mentioned professionals don’t know how to multitask. This is not true because they can multitask with utmost ease and proficiency.

It should be noted, though, that apart from answering calls, the mentioned professionals can also appoint schedules, customize call greetings, take detailed messages, and initiate conferences, among other tasks that businesses, especially start-up and middle-sized ones will find handy.

  1. Expensive salary package needs to be given

Businesses owners, especially those with limited funding, immediately cancel out the said service off their priority list because of the belief that service providers charge enormously high rates.

On the other hand, if the overall expenses are summed up, though, it can be concluded that savings can actually sky-rocket because business owners don’t have to pay for bonuses, taxes, and employee benefits.